Spanish Croquetas (Croquettes) - Perfect for Parties!

EASY HOMEMADE CROQUETTES

Croquettes are a Spanish speciality - extremely popular in Spain and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. They can be made with a variety of ingredients. The most popular are those with stew, ham, chicken, cheese or mushrooms. Croquettes are a traditional dish often served at family meals. They taste delicious both hot and cold and even better the next day. In Spain almost everyone has eaten cold croquettes after a party - simply delicious!

A Speciality from Cádiz

The recipe we present here is typical to the region of Cádiz. The recipe consists of two parts - a meat stew called Puchero and the croquettes themselves which are made using the stewed meat as an ingredient. Puchero is a traditional dish in its own right and can be served both at lunch and dinner.

The base for most croquettes is a bechamel sauce. In this recipe, we make the bechamel sauce a little differently so that it is easier to make even for inexperienced cooks and free from lumps.

We hope you like them!

INGREDIENTS for PUCHERO GADITANO:

• 220 g chickpeas (soak overnight)
• 2 chicken thighs
• 1/4 beef shank
• 100 g bacon
• 1 fresh beef bone
• 1 salted pork bone
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1/2 leek
• 2 carrots
• 1 turnip
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 litres water

METHOD:

**Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water the night before**

• In a large pot or pressure cooker add all the ingredients at the same time along with water and salt. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients.
• Cook over high heat until foam appears. Skim it off.
• Once the broth is foamy, cover and cook.
• In a pressure cooker it will be ready in about 30 to 45 minutes. In a normal pot on medium heat, it will be ready in about 2 hours.
• Once the stew is cooked, check for salt and add more if necessary.

INGREDIENTS for CROQUETTES:

• Stewed meat (chicken thighs or beef shank) from the recipe above
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 heaped tablespoons flour
• A pinch of salt
• Whole milk (as much as you need - approx. 500 ml)
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Egg, beaten
• Bread crumbs
• Olive oil to fry

METHOD:

• Take the milk out of the refrigerator and let it come up to room temperature
• Shred the meat from the stew. Melt the butter in a pan and add the shredded meat. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the flour and stir it in. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the milk little by little and keep stirring to make a smooth dough. Season with nutmeg and salt. The dough should not be too dense or too soft.
• When done, transfer the contents of the pan to a plate or wide bowl and cover with cling film. Let cool (preferably overnight in the refrigerator).
• Shape the croquettes. Coat first in the beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil.
• Enjoy!

Note: The breaded croquettes (before frying) can be frozen for future use. Take out of the freezer and fry when needed.

This article including the recipe was submitted by Sara, a member of the Piccantino team from Spain.